When connecting pipelines or distributed plumbing in buildings or the like, it is common to attach pipe sections in end to end abutment with the pipes in proper alignment with one another. To achieve this alignment, various tools have been proposed as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,575 and 3,952,936 both to Dearman, U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,967 by Barber and U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,091 by Labit Jr. Typical prior art devices involve clamping about one of the pipe sections with pipe engaging members extending from the clamp to engage the other pipe section. In each instance, the pipe engaging members frictionally engage the second pipe, which may cause damage to the second pipe as the second pipe is displaced relative to the first pipe during pipe alignment. Furthermore, the friction makes it difficult to align the second pipe by rotation or longitudinal displacement relative to the first pipe so that accurate alignment is somewhat resisted by the frictional forces.